Forgetful, or Something More? | Dementia with Dr Stephanie Ward | Club Sandwich

Ageing parents? You've got them. We've got you. We all walk into a room and forget why we came in. So how do you tell ordinary forgetfulness from the early signs of something more? This week, in part one of our two-part dementia special, geriatrician Dr Stephanie Ward shows us what to actually look for. Content note: this episode discusses dementia, memory loss and caring for an unwell parent. Be gentle with yourself while you listen, and come back to it another time if today isn't the day. For information and support, Dementia Australia's National Dementia Helpline is on 1800 100 500 (dementia.org.au). For support as a carer — Carer Gateway 1800 422 737 (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm). WATCH MORE / JOIN THE CLUB: https://clubsandwich.community EMAIL US: [email protected] Chapters: 00:00 Living well with early dementia 00:59 Welcome to Club Sandwich 02:11 How dementia differs from normal ageing 07:37 Delirium and UTIs 10:33 Overcoming fear and denial 14:10 Diagnoses, tests and referrals 22:35 When function starts slipping 23:51 Causes and brain changes 27:59 Living well after diagnosis 29:51 Legal planning and capacity 32:16 Safety risks and driving 33:43 Practical support at home 35:15 Gentle assessment Find Put The Kettle On – Vera's free guide to the five questions worth asking your mum or dad – at https://putthekettleon.com.au This episode is supported by Australian Unity Home Health and Care. Proactive local care that helps your parents live well at home. Less stress for them, less worry for you, more time for the good stuff. Visit https://australianunity.com.au/clubsa.... This episode was supported by NSW Trustee and Guardian — wills, power of attorney and enduring guardianship, sorted properly, so the people you love aren't left guessing. Search NSW Trustee and Guardian, or call 1300 10 20 30. Club Sandwich is brought to you by Vera (https://vera.guide/), helping families caring for ageing parents navigate this stage of life so you don't have to do it alone. Sarah Macdonald – Host and Executive Producer. Melissa Reader – Commissioning Editor, Executive Producer and Clubber. Justin McArthur – Executive Producer. Audio + video edits by P. Zinner Podcasts (https://pzinner.com.au) Theme music 'Club Sandwich' by Sean Wayland. Hear more from Sean at https://www.seanwayland.com/ #clubsandwich #sandwichgeneration #ageing #ageingparents #dementia #delirium #memoryloss #carers #powerofattorney #geriatrician #stephanieward #sarahmacdonald